MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton hit the second-longest home run in the majors this season, a 479-foot, three-run shot for the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night in a 6-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Buxton connected off Rangers starter Jack Leiter in the third inning, with the ball landing in the second deck in center field. It was the longest of Buxton's 144 career home runs.
“That’s big boy status,” Buxton said. “I ain’t going to lie. I knew that was a good one.”
Mike Trout has the longest this season, a 484-footer for the Los Angeles Angels on April 19.
Buxton moved into sole possession of 15th place on the Twins’ career home run list, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Joe Mauer.
The mammoth homer was the fifth-longest home run in Target Field history since it opened in 2010, according to the Twins. It drew plenty of praise from his teammates in the clubhouse after the game.
“As soon as he hit, the sound of the bat, I knew it was gone,” said left fielder Willi Castro, who hit a two-run triple in the game. “He’s really got pop. He’s one of the best players in the league. ”
In the half inning before the homer, Buxton made a spectacular diving catch in center field against Marcus Semien for the third out. That drew a standing ovation from the fans at Target Field.
“We saw some things from our center fielder that you probably won't forget,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Pat on the back to everyone who was at the ballpark tonight to be able to watch what he did out there. One of the more mesmerizing performances that you'll ever see on a field.”
In 10 games since returning from the injured list with a concussion, Buxton is batting .350 with 14 RBI and three stolen bases. His 11 home runs lead the Twins.
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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter reacts after giving up a three-run home run to Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton during the third inning of baseball game Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton, left, celebrates his three-run home run with Christian Vázquez during the third inning of baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.
Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.
Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”
He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”
Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.
In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.
Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”
Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.
“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.
The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.
The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.
Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.
In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)
